Democrats’ midterm victory delights Americans in Carinthia

Democrats won a clear victory in the US midterm elections, taking a majority and dealing a serious blow to President Donald Trump and the Republicans, ORF reported. Americans living in Carinthia followed the vote closely.

Long-time US correspondent Peter Fritz, who was born in Carinthia, said the result had significantly weakened Trump. The president could become a “lame duck” for the rest of his term, with his ability to govern sharply curtailed.

Congress has considerable power to limit the president, Fritz said, particularly through its control of the budget. If Democrats hold a majority in both chambers, he said, Congress could cut funding for particular operations.

The election result could also have political consequences for Trump. Congress can conduct investigations, and the Senate can set up inquiry committees that could cause serious problems for the president, Fritz said.

Maureen Devine, who has lived in Carinthia for 52 years, said she was surprised by the scale of the result. “Amazing. I was very, very pleased. I hadn’t dared hope it would be so clear,” she said.

Marvin Hoffland, originally from Iowa, pointed to economic concerns as one reason for the Democrats’ success. He said voters were unhappy with high prices, including for diesel and petrol, and with inflation. Democrats had also won in traditionally Republican states such as Texas and Iowa, he said.

Devine and Hoffland both voted by mail in the midterm elections, despite having lived in Carinthia for many years.